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Route: From Karvounas to Troodos, Almyrolivado, Pasa Livadi

From Karvounas to Troodos. You can approach Troodos via Platres road or via Karvounas. The uphill road from Karvounas to Troodos is winding, despite being recently straightened and broadened. Before you reach Pano Amiantos, on your right hand side there stands a traditional fountain built in 1900, commemorating the construction of the Nicosia-Troodos road. Pano Amiantos appears with a few scattered houses on the right hand side and a severe wound or scar on the left. Almyrolivado is a unique excursion site, on the road Karvounas-Troodos, immediately after Pano Amiantos. In the middle of the valley piped water has been installed, while around grows a varied and rich natural vegetation. The visitor can see the centuries-old gigantic juniper on a gentle slope close by. As you explore the valley further west, you come across a camping site where tranquility and isolation prevail. Pasa Livadi lies east of Olympos, on the Pano Amiantos-Troodos road. The slopes around preserve their ruggedness. Pasa Livadi is a picnic site with all amenities, particularly the wooden tables and seats which comform harmoniously with the natural environment. Troodos, the highest settlement of Cyprus, appears with a few houses built with local building material, a large square and some centuries-old pine-trees with their tips broken by the snow. At Troodos horse- riding can be enjoyed.

Route: Trooditissa Monastery, Xerokolympos, Kampin tou

Kalogirou, Trikoukia

Trooditissa Monastery lies on a steep slope of a tributary of Diarizos, south of the pine-clad Troodos. With its height of about 1.300 metres a.s.l. it is considered to be the loftiest monastery of Cyprus. What is fascinating about the monastery is its rich history and tradition. One could seek the history of the monastery in an isolated cave, close to the monastery. According to tradition, a monk carrying the icon of the Madonna, a painting of apostle Luke, left his native country and reached Akrotiri, close to the monastery of Agios Nikolaos of the Cats, around 762

A.D. Having spent about 25 years in the monastery of Agios Nikolaos, one day, guided by a bright star, he arrived at the present monastery of Trooditissa. He lived in a cave, known as the “Cave of Trooditissa”, until he died. The candle in the cave, after his death, was lit by shepherds, hunters and lumbermen.

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Snow-covered Troodos

Trooditissa monastery

It is this candle and the icon of Panagia that led people to build the monastery in about 990 A.D. Though the history of the monastery between 990 and 1570 A.D. is obscure, Trooditissa was looted and destroyed in the 16th century, like most monasteries in Cyprus. In 1585 the church was burnt but the monks managed to save the divine icon of Panagia. A new single-aisled church, entirely painted, was subsequently built. In 1842 the church was again burnt, though it was restored one year later. The church is now three-aisled, while the iconostasis is new. Between 1954 and 1974 the monastery was restored by increasing the cells and the rooms that can host guests. Many miracles are attributed to the icon of the Madonna. Childless women visit and pray for a child. A pair of buckles still lies near the icon and a woman who desires a child must wear them and her wish will be granted. Xerokolympos, an excursion site, very popular, albeit crowded, particularly on weekends for at least three summer months, lies close to the Trooditissa monastery and at small distance from Olympos. It is a narrow valley with two abrupt, almost vertical slopes, on an altitude of 1.500 metres a.s.l. A few wooden tables and seats, metallic equipment for barbecue, a few wooden bridges and traditional fountains constitute the facilities and embellishments of the excursion site. Kampin tou Kalogirou is an excursion site lying on a levelled off expanse of land before you reach Trikoukia. Wooden benches, piped water and metal appliances for the preparation of barbecue are the main facilities of the site. Trikoukia lies about 2km south of Prodromos. For a long time a Government nursery was functioning at Trikoukia, close to the steep-pitched church of Panagia Trikoukiotissa, relic of the historic monastery of Trikoukia. The monastery of Trikoukia was, most probably, built in the 13th or 14th century. The present arched church was restored in 1761. Internally the church is three-aisled with three doors. The windows are woodcarved preserving their original shapes. The most important icon is that of Panagia, a rain compelling icon, which is sheltered in the church and was much venerated by Greek and Turkish Cypriots alike. At the end of the 18th century the monastery was dissolved and its property fell into the hands of Kyrenia bishopric. Since 1923 as many as

10 hectares of Trikoukia’s land were converted into a government nursery, where deciduous trees were cultivated mainly for experimental purposes.

f) Lower Marathasa Valley

Route: Prodromos, Palaiomylos, Agios Dimitrios, Lemithou, Treis

Elies, Kaminaria

Prodromos appears on the landscape as a twin settlement: Kato (Lower) Prodromos is the original compact settlement, while Pano (Upper) Prodromos has been established, in the past few years, along the main road artery of Prodromos-Platres. Situated on a height of 1400m, Prodromos enjoys an extensive view towards many directions. The abandoned hotel Verengaria with its bulk and architecture dominates the landscape. The hotel was built in 1930 and played a significant role in the development of mountain tourism, particularly in the inter-war period as well as immediately after the second world war. Prodromos, with its plethoric natural vegetation, its waters and its healthy climate attracted many public buildings like the Forest College, children’s camping sites and, until recently, the Center of Agricultural Training. The Forest College is a tertiary Educational Institution, of three-years duration, training Cypriots and foreigners alike on forestry matters. The excursion site of Prodromos near the reservoir of Prodromos is a fascinating site for picnic. It lies on a height of about 1570m between Chionistra and Prodromos. The reservoir of Prodromos creates a beautiful spectacle with the shade of trees mirrored in its waters. Palaiomylos, the village with its narrow and meandering streets preserves some beautiful houses built in traditional mountainous architecture. Chair making is a handicraft still pursued by two craftsmen who work the timber. However, the most significant place of interest in the village is the church of Holy Cross, at the center of the settlement. It is a sixteenth-century church, originally single-aisled with a steep-pitched roof and flat tiles, later extended to the south and west. It is entirely painted, though dust and soot have covered many frescoes. Agios Dimitrios, is known for its climbing vines, which form emerald carpets. The “veriko” variety of grapes, which is destined for export, constitutes the principal income of the village. A few houses constructed with local building material, the church of Agios Dimitrios of the 18th century and the presence of a few potters still producing jars and other pottery products, are the basic characteristics of the village’s cultural heritage.

Gathering cherries at Kaminaria

Elia medieval bridge

Despite the isolation of Lemithou, a mountainous village, west of Prodromos, learning has been pursued quite early. The Commercial Secondary School of Mitsis started functioning as from 1912. The school was founded by emigre D. Mitsis, who earned money while living in Egypt. Two churches are worth mentioning. The church of Panagia is modern but contains a few old portable icons, like the 17th century icon of Panagia. At the top of a hummock lies a tiny early sixteenth-century church, dedicated to St. Theodoros. The church, originally painted with 16th century frescoes, was burnt in 1974. Now restored (1975), it does not contain paintings but modern icons. Treis Elies possesses some very interesting churches, like the timber-roofed church of Agia Paraskevi, at the entrance to the village, belonging to the 17th century. The principal parish church is devoted to Panagia. It is three-aisled, rebuilt recently on the ruins of an older church from which the iconostasis is preserved. A marble slab in the altar bears the inscription 1741. Noteworthy is a bronze reliquary which contains the bones of Agios Charalampos. Close by is the church of Archangelos Michail, timber-roofed, built in the middle of the 18th century. Most probably Kaminaria, the settlement south-west of Lemythou and

Treis Elies, obtained its name from the numerous ovens producing pitch with which the interior of jars and other pottery products was coated. The parish church of Agios Georgios in the center of the settlement, a 19th century building, is three-aisled, containing very old icons. There is a number of interesting chapels close to the settlement, some of which are the following: St Ermolaos, dates to the eighteenth century. St Basil, about 1,5km from the village, belongs to the sixteenth century. It has been restored by the Department of Antiquities. The church of Panagia, of the early sixteenth century, stands high above the village. A number of mural paintings still survive, like the painting with the donors as well as that of Panagia. Most probably the church of Panagia was a private church belonging to a prosperous family. A visit to the Venetian bridge of Elia, south of Kaminaria, in the Pafos Forest, is recommended.